I am not sure there has ever been more talk in Christian circles about blowing down the four walls of the church and taking Christ back out into the world.  From my reading and interpretation of the New Testament, the Church was never intended to be indentified with a place.  It was a people.  Yet, at some point, we have drifted and our location has become our identity.  Because of that, we have been tagged with a reputation of being unwilling to go out into the world and live our lives in front of a world that is hurting and broken.  A world that is in desperate need of what we have.

Last week, I met the student that I will be investing in as a mentor this semester.  One of our local elementary schools, in a low income neighborhood, is in desperate need of male mentors.  Honestly, I have known about this need for months.  At first, I just couldn’t make it work with my schedule and the school’s.  Then, I as I was joining our church plant’s staff, I was available at the right time, but I was reluctant.  But, over the last couple of weeks, I just couldn’t get that school out of my head.  I kept thinking about it over and over.  Finally, I emailed the principal and was matched up immediately.

It was awesome to see the excitement on this little boy’s face.  He was so pumped to meet me and have me listen to him for a little while.  And now, I can’t wait until Monday when I get to talk with him again.

Our church values people not places.  Our identity is based on what our lives show and how we reach out, not in a building.  We are huffing and puffing and blowing the house down, so to speak.  Some people value church buildings.  I mean, that’s God’s house right?  I hope not.  I hope God doesn’t live in a building that people only come to once a week.  I hope God doesn’t live in stick and mortar.  I hope God lives in the lives of His people.  I hope we take Him with us wherever we go and introduce Him to everyone we meet by living in a way that lifts up those on the margins of life.

There is a little boy who would have never had a mentor if I would have just stayed in my office…

How are you knocking down the walls we have put up around the church?